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TORONTO -- Danny Koevermans no longer wears the jersey but he still bleeds Toronto FC red. A goal machine for the MLS team when healthy, the former striker is back in his native Netherlands these days. As in Toronto, his 35-year-old body let him down when he tried one last time to take the field with FC Utrecht earlier this year. Now coaching with the Dutch club, Koevermans, his wife and two daughters are back in the family home in Helmond they left behind to come in Toronto. And the former Dutch international is happy and at peace. "I am good. I am excellent," he said over the phone. "I miss Toronto but for the rest, Im just doing fine." He has been closely following Toronto FCs new-look -- and winning -- lineup. He watched the first two games live online and has followed every outing since. "First thing I do in the morning is check out what theyve done," he said. "Im happy for you all. Its crazy. Three away games, only one home game, nine points already, maybe this will be the season for the playoffs. I hope so." Sadly Koevermans presence in Toronto these days is limited to a photo of him applauding the fans. It is portrayed prominently on a wall in the foyer of the teams north Toronto training centre. "It was an amazing time," Koevermans said. "I miss Toronto every single day." A serious knee injury -- he tore his anterior cruciate ligament -- and a string of ensuing calf problems in the same left leg limited his MLS career. While he signed a 2 1/2-year deal, essentially his TFC playing time lasted one calendar year, from July 2011 to July 2012, with 17 goals in 21 starts and 26 appearances. The six-foot-three Koevermans, whose contract expired at the end of 2013, returned to the Netherlands with his family on Dec. 14. He wanted to try one last comeback back home and signed with Utrecht, with both sides knowing that he was one injury away from retiring. "I was hoping to give them some goals, but it never came to that point," said Koevermans, who saw just 29 minutes action in three appearances. His calf gave out less than a month after he arrived. He returned to training one more time only to pull his calf muscle two weeks later. "I said enough is enough, its over. Im going to quit," he said. The eventual decision to retire as a player was not difficult. "I saw it coming," he said. Utrecht asked him to stay with the team until the end of the season, which he agreed to. "Its a good group of guys and I feel comfortable over there," he said. "I feel appreciated." Then the team asked him to work with the strikers, which he has agreed to do through the end of the season. The Utrecht strike force includes Colombian Juan Agudelo, Zambian Jacob Mulenga and Belgian Steve De Ridder. "I like it," Koevermans said. "I never had the ambition to be a head coach but something like this would be perfect. Im hoping they will keep me next year." Utrecht is only an hours drive from his home in Helmond so the job is attractive from all fronts. Toronto FC introduced Koevermans and former German international midfielder Torsten Frings as designated players on June 29, 2011, with both making their MLS debut July 20. Frings may have had the name but Koevermans had the moves. He collected eight goals in 10 games in 2011, scoring from all angles and with every part of his body. While some strikers celebrate highlight-reel finishes, the no-nonsense Koevermans didnt care how his goals went in as long as the goalie had to pick the ball out of the net. He was a straight-shooter off the pitch as well, making headlines during the disastrous start to the 2102 season after Toronto slipped to 0-9-0. "Were setting a record for the worst team in the world, man, and its painful," Koevermans said at the time. "What can I say more? Its just the worst ever." The Dutchman took matters in his own hands when he came off the bench the next game. He beat Chris Konopka (now a Toronto FC player) to score in the 88th minute and end the record slump with a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union. Koevermans was troubled by minor injuries at the start of the 2012 campaign but, when he regained his health, he went on a roll and had nine of the teams 19 goals when he went down. According to Opta, which tracks statistics, Toronto scored every 65.9 minutes during the 2012 season with the big Dutchman on the field. Over the same stretch of the season when he hadnt played, they scored every 130.8 minutes. Koevermans says his career ended July 14, 2012, when he wrecked his knee on the artificial turf at New Englands Gillette Stadium. After surgery and 11 months of painstaking rehab, he returned in July 2013 but only saw 78 minutes of action spread over four games as his calf kept on giving out. As the 2013 season wore down, Koevermans was a forgotten man at Toronto FC. Pro soccer can be a cruel game -- out of sight, out of mind when it comes to injured players. He was distraught as his career in Toronto fizzled. His family liked the city and he had hoped to play one more season if healthy. It was not to be. But today he says he is OK with his fate. "I know I had a good career. Its unlucky that basically it ended on this July 14 (2012). ... The moment I tore my ACL, I never really got back to full fitness, full game fitness. Which is a shame. But I tried, I tried really hard." He never got a medical explanation why his surgically repaired knee resulted in so many calf issues. He puts it down to age and a lot of soccer miles under his belt. "Maybe at the end, when I look back at it, my body was kind of fit but not fit any more for the highest level. I couldnt train any more really really hard like you have to do." Cheap Soccer Jerseys . Orlando is to begin play in the MLS for the 2015 season. 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Soccer Jerseys China .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts.WINNIPEG -- Teenager Kadeisha Buchanan was a star on both sides of the ball Thursday night as Canada tied the No. 1-ranked U.S. womens soccer team 1-1, thanks to her first goal as a member of the Canadian national team. "The future is bright," said teammate Desiree Scott. "Kadeisha Buchanan, 18-year-old, going toe-to-toe with some of the best strikers in the world and she scores a goal tonight. Unbelievable performance." Buchanan said it was a great experience to score but her work on defence was also key to keeping the Americans in check. "Defence wins games and we tried," she said of the physical way she challenged and often beat U.S. strikers such as veteran Abby Wambach as they rushed the Canadian goal. "Thats part of my element." Coach John Herdman said Canadas young back line did a great job and Buchanan has what it takes to be the best in the world at her position. "Shes the (Christine) Sinclair of defenders, shes that good" he said, referring to Canadas top forward. Buchanan scored her goal with a header off a corner kick just before the 35-minute mark of the friendly, and for 40 minutes it looked like Canada might finally beat a team they last defeated in 2001. The 18-year-old Toronto native only made her debut with the national team in January 2013 but has seen 12 starts with Lauren Sesselmann out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Herdman said it was disappointing to come so close and not get the win but he liked what he saw of the Canadian teams development as they prepare for the 2015 Womens World Cup. American striker Sydney Leroux, who was born in Surrey, B.C., tied the game just before the 78-minute mark when she kicked Canadian defender Rebecca Quinns crossing header into the corner past goalkeeper Erin McLeod. It was the third consecutive game against Canada in which shes scored a goal. "She loves big momments and shes come through and shes been fantastic," said interim U.ddddddddddddS. coach Jill Ellis. McLeod had to make one big save early in the game off Heather OReilly and another in the second half off a header by Wambach. Then the Canadian team had to block a free kick just past the 84-minute mark that could have put the Americans in the lead. American keeper Hope Solo had her bid to tie the U.S. shutout record foiled by Buchanan. The day before the game, Herdman said the crowd could play a role. "Were not going to have 700 shots and 700 crosses, so the fans have got to be ready to really get behind us when we need (them)," he said. The crowd of 28,255 didnt disappoint. The game was also blessed with cool but dry weather, after a forecast that threatened rain, and it was the second largest crowd ever to watch a womens friendly in Canada. "You could feel the energy," said Herdman, who suggested it was a taste of what Canada will offer when it hosts the Womens World Cup next summer. Solo, who also played for the U.S. in the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, is just one away from tying Briana Scurry for the most shutouts in the American programs history at 70. Melissa Tancredi, who rejoined the Canadian team for the first time since she returned to school a couple of years ago to finish her chiropractic studies, got some playing time late in the second half. The Winnipeg-born Scott said she was thrilled to play for the first time in front of friends and family as a member of the national team. This is her sixth year on Canadas squad. "It was exhilarating and exciting for me and it definitely drove me to give a great performance tonight," she said. Buchanan, meanwhile, is also a member of Canadas under-20 World Cup team. The under-20 World Cup starts Aug. 5 with games set to take place in Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Moncton. ' ' '